Psalm 106:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

NIV: They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.

NASB: And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was defiled with the blood.

CSB: They shed innocent blood— the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; so the land became polluted with blood.

NLT: They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder.

KJV: And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

NKJV: And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.

Psalm 106:34–46 summarizes the book of Judges. When Israel first began the conquest of the Promised Land, all was well. Yet they soon fell short of God's commands and were corrupted by the pagan Canaanites. This began a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and rescue that continued for many generations (Judges 2:16–19). Through all those trials, the Lord continued to preserve His people—a demonstration of His loyal, merciful love.

The psalmist calls on the people to worship God because of His loyal, merciful love for the nation of Israel. Evidence of this love is given in the form of Israel's many national sins. These included many acts of faithlessness during the exodus from Egypt, and cycles of idolatry during the conquest of Canaan. Even so, the Lord preserved the nation rather than destroying it. The song closes with another prayer for rescue and a blessing directed at God.

This is the last entry in what is often called "Book Four" of the psalms (Psalms 90—106). The psalm focuses on confession and humility; many reminders are given about Israel's failures compared to God's faithfulness. Notable mentions are the idol at Horeb (Exodus 32), the first arrival at Canaan (Numbers 14), and the era of Israel's judges (Judges 2:16–19). Despite these sins, the Lord maintained Israel's existence, even as He brought them punishment. Similar confessions appear in Isaiah 63, Ezekiel 20, and Nehemiah 9.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.